Will Pipes Freeze in Murray County, GA? 11 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Murray County
In a normal year Murray County, GA gets 11 nights at or below 20°F, the point where bare pipes in a garage, attic or outside wall start to freeze. That is more than 28% of US counties.
Risk level: Regular. The risk season runs November to February, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 72 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 11 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 11 nights of risk to 1 night. A 12 ft heat-tape kit runs $17 to $37; an average burst-pipe repair is about $500.
Month by month
Nights at or below 20°F in a normal year.
First 32°F night is usually around 11/01, last around 04/02. For 20°F: 12/12 to 02/15.
How cold Murray County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 32°F; the coldest month, January, averages 30°F overnight. 7 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January: 1 night a year, and none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30°F | 33°F | 40°F | 47°F | 56°F | 65°F | 68°F | 67°F | 61°F | 49°F | 38°F | 33°F |
Murray County next to its neighbours
Gilmer County, GA, 28 km southeast, gets 13 nights below 20°F to Murray County's 11 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murray County, GA | - | 72 nights | 11 nights | 30°F |
| Whitfield County, GA | 21 km west | 67 nights | 11 nights | 31°F |
| Gilmer County, GA | 28 km southeast | 69 nights | 13 nights | 30°F |
| Gordon County, GA | 34 km south | 69 nights | 11 nights | 30°F |
| Catoosa County, GA | 38 km west | 76 nights | 14 nights | 31°F |
| Polk County, TN | 39 km northeast | 83 nights | 18 nights | 29°F |
| Fannin County, GA | 39 km east | 93 nights | 22 nights | 27°F |
Murray County within GA
Murray County ranks 14 of 159 GA counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Union County, GA at 28 nights, with a 27°F average winter low. The fewest is Glynn County, GA: under 1 night, winter lows near 46°F. At 804 ft, Murray County sits 384 ft above the state's median county elevation of 420 ft.
What to do here
- Insulate every pipe in unheated space before the season starts.
- Heat tape on the runs you cannot insulate well.
- Shut off and drain outdoor spigots for the season.
Why 20°F is the line for a garage pipe: how cold before pipes freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Chatsworth 2, GA, 5 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. Why elevation is part of the blend: how county numbers are made.